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TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1985
HE SAID THAT CHINA WAS NOW HONG KONG'S SECOND LARGEST EXPORT MARKET AFTER THE UNITED STATES AND DOMESTIC EXPORTS TO CHINA GRE BY 81 PER CENT IN VALUE LAST YEAR, BY CONTRAST, IN 1978 CHINA'S MARKET POSITION WAS IN 37TH PLACE, HE POINTED OUT.
RE-EXPORTS TO CHINA LAST YEAR GREW BY 130 PER CENT IN VALUE TERMS AND WHILE IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE THE RATE OF GROWTH IN THE YEARS AHEAD, MR BLYE SAID HE HAD EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT THE TREND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE SHARPLY UPWARD.
THE STATE OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMY TODAY IS EVIDENCE THAT THE QUESTION MARK WHICH HUNG OVER THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS WAS REMOVED WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, HE EXPLAINED.
+ IN THE YEARS TO COME THERE WILL BE MANY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES AND THOSE OTHER AREAS OF CHINA WHICH ARE OPENING THEIR DOORS TO OUTSIDE INVESTMENT.
+ON THE BASIS OF PAST EXPERIENCE BUTTRESSED BY THE NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG, HE SAID, +1 AM CONVINCED THAT HONG KONG IS THE PLACE TO BE TO TAKE BEST ADVANTAGE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.+
NEED SEEN FOR CHANGE IN ILLEGITIMACY LAW
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THE PRESENT STATE OF THE LAW COULD LEAD TO VERY GRAVE INJUSTICES FOR CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK IF NO PROVISION WAS MADE IN A WILL FOR THEM, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS SAID TODAY.
AND SINCE HE HAD A CONTINUING RESPONSIBILITY TO CONSIDER IDEAS FOR LAW REFORM, HE WOULD BE TAKING STEPS TO SEE WHETHER THERE WERE ANY GOOD REASONS WHY REFORMS IN THIS AREA OF FAMILY LAW SHOULD NOT PROCEED, MR THOMAS TOLD DIRECTORS OF THE PO LEUNG KUK, AT THE IR LUNCHEON MEETING TODAY.
IT MIGHT BE A NEGLECTED AREA OF LAW AND IT MIGHT NOT INVOLVE VERY MANY CHILDREN. BUT IF THOSE CHILDREN WERE SUFFERING AN INJUSTICE BECAUSE THE LAW DID NOT GIVE THEM ADEQUATE PROTECTION AFTER THE DEATH OF THE IR FATHER, HE TOOK THE VIEW THAT A CHANGE IN THE LAW SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, MR THOMAS SAID.
BUT THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE WIDE CONSULTATION AND PLENTY OF TIME BEFORE PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE WERE BROUGHT FORWARD.
/+NONETHElass «E